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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Cops Smash Smack Ring Near Schools

Cops Smash Smack Ring Near Schools

(Photos by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 31-Three individuals have been arrested and charged with running a heroin operation based in the working middle class neighborhood of Bedford Park-- a short distance away from two New York City public schools and a college.

According to police sources, members of the Bronx Narcotics Squad, in conjunction with the 52nd Precinct, were conducting a buy and bust

operation at the corner of East Bedford Park Boulevard and Jerome Avenue, at 4:30 p.m. on March 20.

According to the criminal complaint, the informant purchased a bag on f heroin and a surveillance team followed at least one of the three suspects to an apartment at 3043 Villa Avenue at East Bedford Park Boulevard.

A team of more than a dozen officers raided the fourth-floor apartment and took one of the three suspects into custody. Police would only confirm that three individuals were arrested at three different locations stemming from the sale.

Police announced the arrests of Louis Delgado, 43, of Manhattan; Vanessa Henry, 50, of the Grand Concourse and Jennifer DeHoyos, 34, of White Plains Road. All three were charged with criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance, both felonies.

One resident of the area recalled the scene, "I saw three undercover guys blocking the street and there were like three or four in the apartment looking for drugs. They were looking out the window and onto the fire escape."

Asked if he was surprised by heroin sales in the area, the resident responded, "I knew they were dealing," claiming to have witnessed the drug-for-cash transactions for over a year.

The resident then made a bombshell allegation, claiming, "I asked a couple cops who I could talk to. I'd go down and talk to the detectives, but you go down there and they don't want to know anything, really. This was like a year ago."

The neighborhood source also stated that the boss of the operation was overseeing the ongoing drug sales, since the arrests, from the comforts of his luxury SUV-- claiming that many of the drug sales are conducted in the public parking lot for a college. Investigators would not confirm the report.

A brother of one of the suspects claimed, "They beat him up pretty good and he's an older guy and he still hasn't even seen a doctor yet." The young relative also questioned why the man had been held in Manhattan, when the alleged crime took place in the Bronx.

The distraught family member added, "I'm not saying he's an angel, but he didn't deserve this," claiming that the alleged sale involved less than $100 of the drug.

According to the Bronx District Attorney's office, all three were arraigned on March 21. DeHoyos was released on her own recognizance and Delgado made bail and both were due back in court on June 9. Henry remains held on $5,000 bond and is due back in court on April 6.